Aeolosoma | |
---|---|
Aeolosoma foraging for food | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Annelida |
Class: | Polychaeta |
Order: | incertae sedis |
Family: | Aeolosomatidae |
Genus: |
Aeolosoma Ehrenberg, 1828 [1] |
Aeolosoma is a genus of minute annelid worms, variously attributed either to oligochaetes or polychaetes. [2] Unlike most polychaetes, they reside in freshwater environments in various parts of the world.
Aeolosoma are transparent worms, very thin and of the length of 1.5–2 mm. [3] They usually reproduce asexually. [4] This is done by paratomy (fragmentation), when the posterior segments are separated from the parent worm. It starts when the worm reaches a certain number of millimeters (depending on the species). [5] Only one species, Aeolosoma singulare, is known to reproduce sexually. [6]
Aeolosoma feed on microalgae, microorganisms and detritus. [7] Their mouth acts like a small vacuum cleaner, which helps them suck up their food into their system. [8]
Below is a list of species of the Aeolosoma genus: [9]
Aeolosoma | |
---|---|
Aeolosoma foraging for food | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Annelida |
Class: | Polychaeta |
Order: | incertae sedis |
Family: | Aeolosomatidae |
Genus: |
Aeolosoma Ehrenberg, 1828 [1] |
Aeolosoma is a genus of minute annelid worms, variously attributed either to oligochaetes or polychaetes. [2] Unlike most polychaetes, they reside in freshwater environments in various parts of the world.
Aeolosoma are transparent worms, very thin and of the length of 1.5–2 mm. [3] They usually reproduce asexually. [4] This is done by paratomy (fragmentation), when the posterior segments are separated from the parent worm. It starts when the worm reaches a certain number of millimeters (depending on the species). [5] Only one species, Aeolosoma singulare, is known to reproduce sexually. [6]
Aeolosoma feed on microalgae, microorganisms and detritus. [7] Their mouth acts like a small vacuum cleaner, which helps them suck up their food into their system. [8]
Below is a list of species of the Aeolosoma genus: [9]